India-rubber spring



Dec, 13, 1932.

A. SPENCER 1,890,795

INDIA RUBBER SPRING Filed May 1929 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A FIGJ.

HWW II-WM Dec. 13, 1932. A. SPENCER INDIA RUBBER SPRING Filed May 3.1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 13, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDERSPENCER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND INDIA-RUBBER SPRING Application filed Kay 8,1929, Serial No. 360,293, and in Great Britain April 9, 1929.

llhis invention relates to indie-rubber bull"- ing springs for use inconjunction with the central buffing and draw gear of railway and likevehicles.

Certain usual constructions of such springs comprise a number of unitsarranged in column form, each unit consisting of concentric frames ofrubber of rectangular cross section moulded on to a metal plate ofsubstantially rectangular shape, the metal plate serving to maintain therubber frames the desired distance apart and being formed with holesthrough which extends rubber that connects the rubber frames at one sideof the plate to the rubber frames at the other side thereof. Between theseveral units constituting a column metal dividing plates are arran ed.

T e moulds for making such spring units are necessarilysomewhat costlyas the grooves of rectangular cross section to receive the rubber thatforms the said frames of rubber must of course be in the form of closedsubstantially rectangular 100 s correspondin in shape to the frames ofru her in the finished spring unit. These closed loop recesses areexpensive to cut in the metal of the mould.

The object of the present invention is to provide a construction ofspring-unit which can be manufactured in moulds less costly to make andin which the rubber is so disposed as to present an improved resistanceunder compression in cases where the compression force is not absolutelyaxial, that is to say in cases where the sprin units become slightlyinclined to the axis of the spring and are consequently subjected togreater compression at one side of the axis than at the other.

Further and favourable objects will appear from the followingdescription.

According to the invention an outside buffing spring for central gearcomprises a col umn of india-rubber units separated by metal plates eachunit consisting of a rectangular metal plate having a central hole topass the coupler shank, perforations extending transversely of theplate, and parallel straight bars of india-rubber extending across eachface of the plate and united through said perforations in such mannerthat each bar is subjected to uniform and symmetrical lateral stresswhen buifing on curves.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein,-

Fig. 1 is a front view of an indie-rubber spring unit according to theinvention, Fi s. 2 and 3 being cross sections taken on tie lines A-A andB-B respectively of F 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section showing the outside butting springaccording to the invention encircling a coupler shank and mounted on avehicle end sill or headstock.

Fig. 5' is a detail section of a portion of the spring shown in Fig. 4illustrating the reaction of the elements to an inclined thrust such asoccurs when bufling on curves.

Referring now to the drawings but first more particularly to Figs. 1 to4, each spring" unit comprises a rectangular or uasi-re'ctangular metalsupporting plate 1 aving a central rectangular hole 2 large enou h topassthe coupler shank l1 and to ermit the free lateral swing of suchcouplers ank when rounding curves.

Projecting from opposite faces of the metal plate 1 are arallel straightbars of indiarubber, the ars above and below the rectangular hole 2being indicated at 3 and extending for substantially the full width ofthe plate 1, while the intermediate short bars indicated at 4 extendfrom adjacent the hole 2 to the edges of the plate 1.

The coincident bars projecting from opposite faces of the plate areunited by indiarubber moulded through perforations 5 in said plate, thepreferred method of manufacture consisting in moulding the bar elements3 and 4 to the opposite faces of the plate with their junctions throughthe perforations fi in situ. It will be noted more clearly from Figs. 1and 2 that the bars are equidistantly spaced .and are parallel to eachother and to the upper and lower edges of the plate 1.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4: and 5, the outside buffingspring comprises a plurality of units such as illustrated in Fig. 1 withan intermediate metal separating plate 12, the spring being loc ated ina housing 13 securely mounted on the outer face of the "vehicle end sillor headstock 14 co-exial with the druit goon .tAlso mounted within thecasing 13 is a flanged. follower 15 for the operation of the outsidebufling" spring, the follower being engaged by the coupler head 16 whenthe latter is moved inwardly under buffing stress.

Under normal boiling conditions, for exam 10 pie when butting on astraight track, the coupler shank ll. Will be disposed in thel0ngitudinal unis of the vehicle, and the coupler head 16 will, after apredetermined move, strike the tollower substantially centrally so thata uniform compression of the outside boning; spring Will occur incushioning the impact.

lJnder other conditions, however, for instonce when looting; on curves,the coupler shsnlr will he inclined to the longitudinal axis oi thevehicle, end under these conditions the compression of the outsideboiling" spring "will not be symmetrical but the side of the spring to"which the shunt; is inclined will undergo o. considerably larger degreeof movement as clesrl r shown in Figs. i and 5 Where these conditionsere represented.

t Will he noted that under these conditions i re load is applied at oninclination the here of the spring are ailectrd longitudinally, in whichdirection they possess maximum in herent stability, While the lateralstress is s ninnctricul in both directions in contradistinctiou to theellects produced inannular or ironic e springs Where there is an nobalunced inward stress tending to tear the rubber "nggs from theirsupporting plates.

The transverse sections illustrated iii-Figs. l and ti taken through theapertured por supporting plates 1 and so only the short Jars l are shownin section, but it will. be appreciated thst the longitudinal staloilityot the lon 1' bars located shore and e is even greater than that ours sothat considerable and once to inward increment oh he uppreeiated thatup" the ring units occord lion. ore relatively cheap to recessesreceiving the rubber n ol' the stroight hers I? and pinned or slotted onstraight toi l e to can be simpl parollel egroo uus.

to flop nurn 2 the improved units may be asseinb. 1 so and the inventionis not restrict '"ticular urrongenient or on the supporting plates, aeases interrupted or DUlTl-C0l'ltinuous liar-type elements can besubstituted "lor the longer bars 3 above end below the central hole oi?the supporting" plate. Re i iug; now to the claims u hiit l claim is l.sin irulia-rubber spring unit comprising a rectangular metal platehaving parallel perforations and straight bars of india-rubber extendingpurallelly across said plate on both sides thereof united through saidperforations and operative on force being; applied at an inclination tobe stressed uniformly in both lateral directions.

2. An indie-rubber spring unit adapted to surround the coupler shankcomprising at rectangular metal plate having a central rectangular holeto pass the coupler shank and permit lateral movement thereof andparallel perforations in the body of the plate surrounding said holeswith straight bars of india-rubber extending across both faces of theplate united through said perforations in, such manner that forceapplied at an inclination, by the coupler head, causes uniform andsymmetrical lateral. stress to such bars.

3. An indie-rubber spring unit adapted to surround the coupler shankcomprising a rectangular metal plate having a central rectangular holeto pass the coupler shank and permit lateral movement thereof andparallel perforations in the body of the plate surrounding said holeswith rectangular section parallel straight bars of india-rubberextending' across both faces of the plate united through saidperforations in such manner that force applied at an inclination, by thecoupler head, causes uniform and symmetri cel lateral stress to suchbars.

d. An outside bufiing spring for central gear comprising a column ofindie-rubber units separated by metal plates each unit consisting of arectangular metal plate having s central hole to pass the coupler shank,perforations extending transversely of the plate and parallel straightbars of indiarubber ext-ending across each face of the plate unitedthrough said perforations in such manner that each bar is subjected touniform and symmetrical lateral stress when boiling on curves.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALEXANDER SPEl lCER.

lllO

